Teithmill 10yo 2014/2024

Teithmill 10yo 2014/2024

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside
Yellow gold
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, yoghurt, malted grains, white pepper, apricot jam, vanilla sponge, honey. With water, lemon zest, aluminium foil, vanilla sponge, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Yoghurt, lemon zest, malted grains, magic marker, sea salt, white grapes, hints of tomatoes. With water, lemon zest, aluminium foil, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, malted grains, white pepper, ginseng, hints of yoghurt. 

Comments: 

A young, not very sweet Deanston, with a rather lactic tone. There’s some spiciness, more than there is fruit. Water brings out something peppery and metallic. A nice stripped back bourbon cask.

Verdict:

I like this.

Deanston Virgin Oak Cask Strength 2023 Edition Batch 3

Deanston Virgin Oak Cask Strength 2023 Edition Batch 3

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
58.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon zest, malted grains, sandalwood, white pepper, magic marker, pear drops. With water, pear drops, lemon sweets, white pepper, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour. Malted grains, pear drops, magic marker, pears, peaches, orange juice, white pepper, nutmeg. With water, malted grains, pear drops, lemon zest, gooseberries, hints of orange juice. 
Finish: Short. Orange juice, lemon zest, malted grains, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Fruity, fragrant and woody. There’s lots of esters here - pear drops and peaches mainly - but this covers a big malty spine. It fades to a short, citrusy finish. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Deanston 15yo Tequila Cask

Deanston 15yo Tequila Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber gold
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, olive brine, white pepper, yoghurt, honey, hints of agave. With water, honey, orange juice, white pepper, hints of agave. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. White pepper, smoke, leather, honey, lemon zest, cream, oatcakes, hints of sea salt. With water, leather, peat, oatcakes, lemon zest, yoghurt. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, oatcakes, olive brine, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Savoury Deanston, something quite unusual. There’s the obligatory hints of agave of course, but it’s harsher, not quite as well integrated as I would like. Lots of malt and grain evident as well. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Deanston Stout Cask Finish

Deanston Stout Cask Finish

Official bottling

Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sultanas, strawberries, marmalade, malted grains, hoppy beer, black tea, cocoa nibs. With water, malted grains, leather, dark chocolate, cashew nuts. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Hoppy beer, black tea, cocoa nibs, black pepper, smoke, popcorn, hints of sea salt. With water, ink, dark chocolate, popcorn, magic marker. 
Finish: Long. Popcorn, smoke, black tea, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Here, characteristically fruity Deanston has been layered with malty, caramelly nutty notes from the stout. It’s a good marriage, lots of interesting dark notes that bring a slight smokiness to the sweet fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.

Deanston 19yo 1994/2014

Deanston 19yo 1994/2014

Small Batch, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Central Highlands
Sunshine gold
56.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, green apples, candle wax, white grapes, fresh baked bread, jasmine. With water, marshmallows, kiwifruit, candle wax. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh baked bread, candle wax, jasmine, malted grains, vanilla, pear drops, hints of rolled oats. With water, pear drops, green apples, kiwifruit, candle wax. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, candle wax, green apples, hints of malted grains. 

Comments: 

A very nice Deanston, full of appley tartness, and a heap of cereally, waxy notes. There’s also some floral fragrance around the edges, especially on the nose. Well aged and complex.

Verdict:

I like this.

Deanston 19yo 1999/2019 Muscat Cask Finish

Deanston 19yo 1999/2019 Muscat Cask Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Copper gold
55.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, gooseberries, honey, honeydew melons, burnt sugar. With water, lemon zest, toffee apples, nectarines. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Nectarines, gooseberries, white grapes, pomegranate molasses, butterscotch, hints of vanilla sponge. With water, hay, fresh baked bread, burnt sugar, white grapes. 
Finish: Long. White grapes, vanilla sponge, toffee apples, hints of pomegranate molasses. 

Comments: 

Sweet, intense, highly fruity neat, this is a very enjoyable whisky. I normally wouldn't use the adjective 'smooth' to describe a whisky, but it is indeed smooth in mouthfeel, slipping down easily despite the high strength. With water it loosens up, turning slightly tart, with lots of cereal and floral notes. Excellent.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Deanston 18yo (Batch 3)

Deanston 18yo (Batch 3)

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Dark gold
46.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, melons, butterscotch, raisins, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, slippery, thickens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Peanuts, melons, butterscotch, apples, vanilla, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Short. Chocolate, peanuts, butterscotch, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Bourbon casked Deanston (mostly), less sherried than the sister bottling which I tasted a couple of years ago. I like it, it's straightforward, sweet and gentle, but I think it lacks a little complexity. But it's decent whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Deanston Virgin Oak

Deanston Virgin Oak

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Pale amber
46.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, honey, green tea, cola nuts, hints of milk chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loosens, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Green tea, vanilla, raisins, nutmeg, cola nuts, hints of milk chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, cola nuts, milk chocolate, orange zest. 

Comments: 

Sweet and tannic, plenty of chocolate. It's rather run of the mill though, pleasant, drinkable, but no more. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, but there's little special about it either.

Verdict:

I like this.

Deanston Mill (bottled 1970s)

Deanston Mill (bottled 1970s)

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Green gold
35% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, celery, honey, raisins, marmalade, peaches, hints of wet dog. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, marmalade, guava jam, vanilla, honey, hints of milk chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, marmalade, red grapes, leather. 

Comments: 

Very old, official Deanston, technically not whisky nowadays. These lower proof bottlings have a bit of a milksop mouthfeel, but make up for it in flavour. There's old bottle effect, of course, but it's somewhat hidden under a creamy fruitiness, almost chocolatey in intensity. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Deanston 20yo 1999/2019

Deanston 20yo 1999/2019

Maltbarn 125
Single malt - Central Highlands
Pale silvery gold
50.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, sour cream, lemon zest, leather, honey, red grapes, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, turns syrupy, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Vanilla sponge, lemon zest, brass polish, apricot jam, mint, hints of leather, hints of hibiscus flower. 
Finish: Short. Toast, chocolate, lemon zest, apricot jam, mint. 

Comments: 

A rather delicate dram, not like the official Deanstons, which are quite robust. This one is minty, slightly chocolatey, and has a nice jammy note, redolent of stewed apricots. It's quite delicious, very drinkable neat.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Deanston 9yo 2008/2018 Brandy Cask Finish

Deanston 9yo 2008/2018 Brandy Cask Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Red gold
56.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, molasses, leather, roast beef, hints of soy sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loosens, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Molasses, raisins, black tea, orange peel, hints of roast beef. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, honey, soy sauce, leather. 

Comments: 

Meaty and robust, with a sweet-salty tannic finish. Decent stuff, but very strong. Oddly though, water doesn't seem to make a blind bit of difference - I dropped quite a lot in, but it didn't open up too much.

Verdict:

I like this.

Deanston 18yo (Batch 2)

Deanston 18yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
46.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, chocolate, vanilla, red grapes, milk, apples, hints of strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Chocolate, vanilla, red grapes, orange peel, red wine, hints of peanuts. 
Finish: Short. Peanuts, chocolate, red grapes, hints of ginseng. 

Comments: 

From a lightly sherried whisky to a heavily sherried whisky. This is more like it, if one wants a sherry hit. It's sweet and wholesome, lots of fruity notes on the nose, tapering to a slightly bitter finish. Yum.

Verdict:

I like this.

Deanston 12 yo 2002/2014

Deanston 12 yo 2002/2014

Glen Keir Treasures, Whisky Shop
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber, tinge of red
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Butter, raisins, maraschino cherries, black tea, honey, hints of ginger. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Butter, honey, raisins, maraschino cherries, candied ginger, dark chocolate, mint. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, mint, honey, maraschino cherries. 

Comments: 

Matured in oloroso sherry casks. This is a rare beast indeed, independent Deanston. It's cool and sweet, lots of great sherry flavour. Loads of great fatty buttery flavour, coupled with black tea and sweet maraschino cherries. Excellent stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Deanston 12 yo Unchillfiltered

Deanston 12 yo Unchillfiltered

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Golden
46.3% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Peanuts, chillies, lemon zest, hoppy beer, pear drops, hints of engine exhaust.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery.
Tasting: Bitter salty. Peanuts, vanilla, engine exhaust, brine, lemon zest, oats, hoppy beer, hints of balsamic vinegar.
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, peanuts, hoppy beer, vanilla.

Comments:

It's not often that a small distillery with one or two official bottlings produces magnificent whisky. There's often a reason why they send most of their spirit to blends. Deanston however, is the exception to the norm. The flagship 12 yo bottling is very intense and tough - the sweet fruity flavours are simply not there. Instead there's vanilla, beer, medicinal tasting lemon zest, and more than a touch of diesel exhaust. Very feisty whisky, benefits from being left alone for a little while after being poured.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.